Robert E. Lee surrendered to Ulysses S. Grant at Appomattox Court House on April 9, 1865.

This event marked the effective end of the Civil War, as Lee's Army of Northern Virginia was significantly weakened after a series of defeats. The surrender took place in a small parlor, where Lee and Grant discussed terms that would allow Confederate soldiers to return home with dignity and without prosecution. This moment was symbolic of reconciliation and the reunification of the nation, setting the stage for the Reconstruction era that followed.